The 7 Sqdn left from Oakington at 1942-07-27 at 22:50. Loc or duty Hamburg

On Monday 27 July 1942, a member of the 7 Sqdn, Flight Lieutenant J N Harris, took off from Oakington in the United Kingdom. His mission is mentioned elsewhere on Back to Normandy. You can find the other details of this mission by searching here. Training and cargo flights are not separately mentioned as a mission. The plane left at 22:50.

He flew with a Short Stirling (type I, serial R9328, code MG-A).

Campaign report of the USAAF:

(8th Air Force): HQ VIII Bomber Command issues an order establishing 1st Bombardment Wing at Brampton Grange [replacing 1st Bombardment Wing (Provisional), established there on 15 Jun) and 2d Bombardment Wing at Old Catton. 1st Bombardment Wing is commanded by Colonel Claude E Duncan; 2d Bombardment Wing by Colonel Newton Longfellow. US aircraft of 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and 1st Fighter Group land at Prestwick, Scotland, thus completing the first series of flights in Operation BOLERO, air movement across the N Atlantic ferry route. 97th Bombardment Group (Heavy) becomes the first US heavy bomber group complete with air and ground echelons in the UK. Lieutenant General Ira C Eaker and officers of the RAF Fighter Command agree to use Spitfire Mk IX's as high fighter cover for B-17s of the VIII Bomber Command until the VIII Fighter Command is ready for escort duty; this also will provide a test of the Spitfire Mk IX against Fw 190s at high altitude. HQ VIII Fighter Command moves from High Wycombe to Bushey Hall, England.

Campaign report of the RAF:

26/27 July 1942

Hamburg

403 aircraft - 181 Wellingtons, 77 Lancasters, 73 Halifaxes, 39 Stirlings, 33 Hampdens dispatched in what was probably a full 'maximum effort' for the regular Bomber Command squadrons. 29 aircraft - 15 Wellingtons, 8 Halifaxes, 2 Hampdens, 2 Lancasters, 2 Stirlings - were lost, 7.2 per cent of the force.

Crews encountered a mixture of cloud and icing at some places on the route but clear weather at the target. Good bombing results were claimed. Hamburg reports show that severe and widespread damage was caused, mostly in housing and semi-commercial districts rather than in the docks and industrial areas. At least 800 fires were dealt with, 523 being classed as large. 823 houses were destroyed and more than 5,000 damaged. More than 14,000 people were bombed out. 337 people were killed and 1,027 injured.

12 Bostons and 10 Blenheims carried out Intruder flights to airfields. 1 Boston of 226 Squadron was lost while attacking Jever; this was the first Boston Intruder casualty.

27 July 1942

8 Wellingtons on cloud-cover raids to Northern Germany bombed blindly through clouds in the Bremen and Emden areas. 2 aircraft lost.

With thanks to the RAF and USAAF.net!

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